IIHS issues recommendations on used vehicles for teens after research finds many aren't driving the safest ones

IIHS issues recommendations on used vehicles for teens after research finds many aren't driving the safest ones

ARLINGTON, Va. — Many teenagers are driving vehicles that don't offer good crash protection and lack important safety technology, new research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. To help guide parents toward safer choices, IIHS has compiled its first-ever list of recommended used vehicles for teens.

IIHS is known for its ratings of new vehicles, but for many families, a 2014 Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+2014 Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ isn't in the budget. In a national phone survey conducted for IIHS of parents of teen drivers, 83 percent of those who bought a vehicle for their teenagers said they bought it used.

With that reality in mind, the Institute has compiled a list of affordable used vehicles that meet important safety criteria for teen drivers (see below). There are two tiers of recommended vehicles with options at various price points, ranging from less than $5,000 to nearly $20,000, so parents can buy the most safety for their money, whatever their budget.

"A teenager's first car is more than just a financial decision," says IIHS President Adrian Lund. "These lists of recommended used vehicles can help consumers factor in safety, in addition to affordability."

Among the 500 parents surveyed, 43 percent said the vehicle their child drives was purchased around the time he or she began driving. Minicars or small cars were the most commonly purchased type of vehicle, with 28 percent buying from this category. A little more than half of newly purchased vehicles were from the 2006 model year or earlier. That's a problem because older vehicles are much less likely to have safety features such as electronic stability control (ESC) and side airbags.

Teenagers who drove a vehicle that the family already owned were even more likely to drive an older vehicle: Two-thirds of those parents said the vehicle was from 2006 or earlier.

A separate IIHS study shows that teenagers killed in crashes are more likely than adults to have been behind the wheel of small vehicles and older vehicles. Among fatally injured drivers ages 15-17 in 2008-12, 29 percent were in minicars or small cars, while 20 percent of fatally injured drivers ages 35-50 were. Eighty-two percent of the young teen drivers were in vehicles that were at least 6 years old, compared with 77 percent of those in the adult group.

The recommendations on teen vehicle choice are guided by four main principles:

Young drivers should stay away from high horsepower. Vehicles with more powerful engines can tempt them to test the limits.

Bigger, heavier vehicles protect better in a crash. There are no minicars or small cars on the recommended list. Small SUVs are included because their weight is similar to that of a midsize car.

ESC is a must. This feature, which helps a driver maintain control of the vehicle on curves and slippery roads, reduces risk on a level comparable to safety belts.

Vehicles should have the best safety ratings possible. At a minimum, that means good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front test, acceptable ratings in the IIHS side crash test and four or five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In the survey of parents, the mean purchase price for a teen's vehicle was about $9,800, while the median was just $5,300. There are many options on the recommended list for under $10,000, but just three that cost less than $5,300.

"Unfortunately, it's very difficult to get a safe vehicle for a teenager at the prices most people are paying," says Anne McCartt, IIHS senior vice president for research. "Our advice to parents would be to remember the risks teens take and consider paying a little more."

All the recommended used vehicles have standard ESC and provide good protection in moderate overlap front crashes. Those considered "best choices" for under $20,000 also have good ratings for side crash protection, good head restraints and seats for rear crash protection, and good roof strength to protect occupants in rollover crashes. Vehicles considered "good choices" for under $10,000 have good or acceptable side crash protection and head restraints rated better than poor. Prices on the best choices list start at $7,300, while the cheapest good choice is $4,000.

Vehicles rated by NHTSANHTSA were included in the recommended lists only if they earned four or five stars in the front and side tests under the agency's original testing regime or an overall rating of four or five stars under the newer, more stringent rating system that began with 2011 models. One vehicle, the Hyundai Santa Fe, was excluded from the list of best choices because its 2012 model had an overall rating of just three stars.

High-horsepower vehicles also were left off the list, but many of the recommended models have high-horsepower versions that should be avoided. The base engines of all the listed vehicles have adequate power for teens.

Parents who don't find a suitable vehicle from either list should seek out a midsize or larger car, an SUV, or a minivan with the most safety they can afford. Besides ESC, specific things to look for in a used vehicle are side airbags and low horsepower. In some cases, it may be possible to find an ESC-equipped vehicle for a model on which the technology was optional. Those models aren't included in the recommended lists because equipped vehicles can be difficult to locate. Keep in mind that SUVs and pickups are particularly risky when not equipped with ESC because they are the most prone to rollover crashes. Information about the availability of ESC and side airbags can be found here.

BEST CHOICES: Recommended used vehicles for teens starting under $20,000

Vehicles on this list earn good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. If rated by NHTSA, they earn 4 or 5 stars overall or 4 or 5 stars in the front and side tests under the old rating scheme. All come with standard ESC.

Prices, rounded to the nearest $100, were taken from Kelley Blue Book on July 1, 2014, for the lowest trim level and earliest applicable model year based on the following criteria: vehicle in good condition, typical mileage and private party purchase in Arlington, Va.

GOOD CHOICES: Recommended used vehicles for teens starting under $10,000

Vehicles on this list earn good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front test and good or acceptable ratings in the side test. If rated by NHTSA, they earn 4 or 5 stars overall or 4 or 5 stars in the front and side tests under the old rating scheme. They also have standard ESC and a better-than-poor rating for head restraints and seats.

Prices, rounded to the nearest $100, were taken from Kelley Blue Book on July 1, 2014, for the lowest trim level and earliest applicable model year based on the following criteria: vehicle in good condition, typical mileage and private party purchase in Arlington, Va.

Note: Some listed models include a "built after" date. This applies when a manufacturer makes changes to improve safety in the middle of a model year. Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured can be found on the certification label typically affixed to the driver door or near it.

BEST CHOICES: Recommended used vehicles for teens starting under $20,000

Vehicles on this list earn good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. If rated by NHTSA, they earn 4 or 5 stars overall or 4 or 5 stars in the front and side tests under the old rating scheme. All come with standard ESC.

Prices, rounded to the nearest $100, were taken from Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com on July 1, 2014, for the lowest trim level and earliest applicable model year based on the following criteria: vehicle in good condition, typical mileage and private party purchase in Arlington, Va.

LARGE CARS

Saab 9-5 sedan (2010 and later) $17,500

Lincoln MKS (2009 and later) $15,500

Buick Regal (2011 and later) $13,500

Ford Taurus (2010 and later) $13,500

Buick LaCrosse (2010 and later) $12,900

Volvo S80 (2007 and later) $9,000

MIDSIZE CARS

Toyota Prius v (2012 and later) $19,100

Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan (2009 and later) $16,000

Honda Accord (sedan 2012 and later; coupe 2013-14) $14,400

Audi A4 (2009 and later) $14,300

Toyota Camry (2012 and later) $14,300

Buick Verano (2012 and later) $14,100

Subaru Outback (2010 and later) $14,000

Lincoln MKZ (2010 and later; built after April 2010) $13,500

Kia Optima (2011 and later) $13,300

Hyundai Sonata (2011 and later) $12,100

Subaru Legacy (2010 and later) $11,900

Dodge Avenger (2011 and later) $11,600

Audi A3 (2008 and later) $11,300

Volkswagen CC (2009 and later) $11,200

Chevrolet Malibu (2010 and later; built after November 2009) $10,900

Chrysler 200 sedan (2011 and later) $10,700

Mercury Milan (2010-11; built after April 2010) $10,700

Ford Fusion (2010 and later; built after April 2010) $10,200

Volkswagen Passat (2009 and later) $10,000

Volvo C30 (2008 and later) $9,800

Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen (2009 and later) $9,400

Volkswagen Jetta (2009 and later) $8,200

SMALL SUVs

Honda CR-V (2012 and later) $18,100

Kia Sportage (2011 and later) $13,800

Hyundai Tucson (2010 and later) $13,100

Subaru Forester (2009 and later) $12,800

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (2011 and later) $12,000

Volkswagen Tiguan (2009 and later) $10,200

Honda Element (2007 and later) $8,900

MIDSIZE SUVs

Volvo XC60 (2010 and later) $18,000

Saab 9-4X (2011-12) $17,800

Toyota Highlander (2008 and later) $17,100

Toyota Venza (2009 and later) $15,900

Ford Edge (2011 and later; built after February 2011) $15,500

Ford Flex (2010 and later) $15,100

GMC Terrain (2010 and later) $14,900

Kia Sorento (2011 and later) $14,500

Infiniti EX (2008 and later) $14,400

Chevrolet Equinox (2010 and later) $13,700

Dodge Journey (2010 and later) $11,200

Subaru Tribeca/B9 Tribeca (2006 and later) $8,500

Volvo XC90 (2005 and later) $7,300

LARGE SUVs

Buick Enclave (2011 and later) $19,900

GMC Acadia (2011 and later) $17,800

Chevrolet Traverse (2011 and later) $16,600

MINIVANS

Chrysler Town & Country (2012 and later) $18,100

Honda Odyssey (2011 and later) $17,100

Toyota Sienna (2011 and later) $16,400

Dodge Grand Caravan (2012 and later) $15,200

Volkswagen Routan (2012) $14,000

GOOD CHOICES: Recommended used vehicles for teens starting under $10,000

Vehicles on this list earn good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front test and good or acceptable ratings in the side test. If rated by NHTSA, they earn 4 or 5 stars overall or 4 or 5 stars in the front and side tests under the old rating scheme. They also have standard ESC and a better-than-poor rating for head restraints and seats.

Prices, rounded to the nearest $100, were taken from Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com on July 1, 2014, for the lowest trim level and earliest applicable model year based on the following criteria: vehicle in good condition, typical mileage and private party purchase in Arlington, Va.

LARGE CARS

Acura RL (2005 and later) $9,700

Mercury Sable (2009) $9,700

Kia Amanti (2009) $9,500

Ford Taurus (2009) $9,100

Audi A6 sedan (2005 and later) $8,300

Hyundai Azera (2006 and later) $5,700

MIDSIZE CARS

Subaru Legacy (2009) $9,900

BMW 3-series sedan (2006 and later) $9,300

Mazda 6 (2009 and later) $8,900

Saturn Aura (2009) $8,800

Acura TL (2004 and later) $7,900

Volvo S40 (2007 and later) $7,700

Audi A3 (2006-07) $7,400

Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan (2005-08) $6,900

Suzuki Kizashi (2010 and later) $6,600

Volvo S60 (2007-09) $6,500

Audi A4 (2005-08; built after October 2004) $6,200

Volkswagen Passat (2006-08) $5,100

Saab 9-3 (2005 and later) $4,000

SMALL SUVs

Nissan Rogue (2008 and later) $9,800

Ford Escape (2009 and later) $8,700

Mazda Tribute (2009 and later) $8,100

Mitsubishi Outlander (2007 and later) $6,300

Suzuki Grand Vitara (2006 and later) $5,600

MIDSIZE SUVs

Mazda CX-9 (2007 and later) $9,800

Ford Edge (2007-10) $9,600

Hyundai Veracruz (2007 and later) $9,600

Hyundai Santa Fe (2007-10) $8,900

Honda Pilot (2006 and later) $8,800

Saturn Vue (2008-09) $7,700

Ford Taurus X (2008-09) $7,500

Mazda CX-7 (2007-11) $7,200

Suzuki XL7 (2008-09) $6,200

MINIVANS

Volkswagen Routan (2009-11) $8,600

Dodge Grand Caravan (2008-11) $8,200

Chrysler Town & Country (2008-11) $8,100

Honda Odyssey (2005-10) $6,700

Hyundai Entourage (2007-08) $6,300

Kia Sedona (2006 and later) $4,600

Note: Some listed models include a "built after" date. This applies when a manufacturer makes changes to improve safety in the middle of a model year. Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured can be found on the certification label typically affixed to the driver door or near it.